Process of cleaning vegetable fiber and the like



G. KNOWLES March 24, 1931.

PROCESS OF CLEANING VEGETABLE FIBER AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 6, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 1 /NV/V7'0/? George flow/es 5y: M y Affdrney March 24,1931. c. KNOWLES 1,797,507

PROCESS OF CLEANING VEGETABLE FIBER AND, THE LIKE Filed Feb. 6, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 2 //YVN7'OR George Mow/ea forney G. KNQWLES March 24, 1931.

PROCESS OF CLEANING VEGETABLE FIBER AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 6, 1928 5Sheets-Sheet 3 VE/V TOR Georga/fivow/e E Patented Mar. 24, 1931 GEORGEKNOWLES, or OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA PA T QECE, a

rEooEss E CLEANING VEGETABLE FIBERAND THE LIKE Application filed.February 6, 1928. Serial No. 252,372.

This'invention relates to improvements in 'aprocess of cleaningvegetable fiberand the like and appertains particularly to a new andmore efficient way of separating the woody or pulpy parts from thefiber, without damaging the latter, so that the fiber is thoroughlycleaned'of all trace of shives, hurds, or other woody pith or bark orother vegetable matter intended for discard, and emerges in 1 asatisfactory condition, cleaned, worked and polished.

' An object ofthe invention is to provide a process to eflect thedesired result in the treatment of flax, hemp and similar fibers,

comprising breaking the woody body into short'fragments, scraping theseout of the stock from among the fiber then working, shaking andpolishing the fibers.

, A further object of the invention is to provide a process as describedand means for effecting the same wherein the fiber bearing stock is fedto aseries of interworking fluted intake and crushing rollers that break.the

a woody body without causing damage to the fiber; passed over a tableand at the end thereof, subjected to the action of a fast revolvingscraper with only sufficient clearance from the table to safeguard thefiber and that beats the fiber down off the edge thereof and throws theshives, hurds or other chips onto a discharge chute; polished between acovered roller and the depending skirt from the table; and finallyshaken and worked, in a way that adds to'the polish, between a pair ofrevolving closely intermeshing slats before being deposited on thedelivery conveyor.

' A still further object is the provision of the process and means foreffecting the same as described that is rapid, simple and thorough;easily set up and maintained; capable of operation at a reasonable cost;and in all highly desirable from the standpoint of cost and efliciency.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall becomeapparent as the de. scription proceeds, my inventionresides in theessentials of the process, and the construction, combination andarrangement of parts in the means of effecting the same as shall behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be most clearly describedwhen refer ence is had to the drawings, forming a part of thisdis-closure wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for carryingout my improved process;

, Figure 2 is a similar elevation of the re verse side of the machine; a

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken as look ing from the same side asFigure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail View of a slightly modified form of theinvention.

As, in an explanation'of the machine that is illustrated and theoperation thereof, the process of cleaning the fiber will becomeapparent and be fully and clearly set forth, no introductorydescription] of the process it-v self will be made.

This fiber cleaning and polishing machine comprises essentially .a frame"work composed of a pair of upright parallel ends 7 spaced at the bottomby the bars 8. Near the top of the frame, a feed table 9 enters themachine at the front and is supported onthe bracket 10. 4 Vertical pairsof intermeshing fluted steel rollers 11 eXtend rearwardly in ahorizontal line'from this feed table, the low er rollers being carriedon the shaft ends 12 journalled in the frame ends 'Twhile' the shaftends 13 of the upper rollers,'in each pair, are vertically adjustable inthe slots 14: in the frame ends 7, by means of the adjusting screws 15,threaded vertically in the frame ends, and swivelled to the intermediatecushion bearing blocks 16 on which'they work. a Y I At one end, theshaft ends 13 of the upper rollers 11 carry keyed gear 'pinions 17 thatmesh with a large gear wheel 18 mounted on the frame end -7 having anintegral chain sprocket wheel 19 driven by the chain 20 from thesprocket gear 21 on the drive shaft 22. This shaft extends thelength ofthe machine running in hearings in the ends 7 and at the end remote fromthe sprocket 21 car- 109 ries a fly wheel 23 and a second sprocket 24for a purpose to be later explained; the shaft 22 being driven from anysuitable power source.

Behind the pairs of fluted rollers is a short sloping table 25 thatterminally depends in a vertical skirt 26 and working above this tableis the scraper 27: Thisfscraper is here shownas a roller with radialblades 28. The

roller is normally centered on a line at right angles with thelowerporrearendofthe table and is adjustable with relation to the table25 by means ofj thebearingsr29 in-whichits spindle ends are carried,said bearings 29 in cluding slots 31 through-which bolts 32extend infastening them to the supporting.

frame ends spro ketwheelfi3 s key d exterior of the frame to the spindleend 20,

at the side of'the ma hine remote from the sprockets 19 and 21 and thechai n20.j

A rub er at d" ller 4is i si io v ose up n he crap r '7; and clos lyspaced from the skirt 26 of the table 25. The

spindle ends 35 of this roller are likewise supported in the frame endsandone is provided with a keyed sprocket wheel 36, on the same side asthe sprocket 33.

Beneath the roller 34 is a pair of interworking slats 37 that areconnected at one end by the intermeshing timing gears 38- whileat bothends both slats have bearing spindles 39 suitably supported by the frameends 7. One ofthese spindles 39 of the forward slat extendsthrough theframe end' 7 and carries a keyed sprocket wheel 40 at the same side asthe sprocketsl24, 33and36.

A drive chain4l runs around the sprockets 24, 33 and 36 and returningpasses across the top ofthe sprocket 40 and; thence under-an idler 42011a tightening arm 43. It willbe noted that the sprockets 33,36 and 40-aresmallcompared with the sprocket24, while the. sprockets 19. and 21 i arethe same size, consequently thoughthesprocket l9 drives the flutedrollers through the medium of the g ar-.18 and'pinions 1 7'; the scraper27, rubr c a ro r 4: nd he b ating l s all of lesser dimensionsthanthelarge flutted rollers, are working more-rapidly.

From a point betweenthe-scraper 2f? and the rubber coated roller 34 atthe back of is fed along the table 9 to the fluted rollers 11 turning inthe direction of the arrows, it is caught between the teeth thereof anddrawn in and advanced therethrough being treated a by these pairs ofrollers to the extent of having all the woody body broken into smallfragments that, as the stock continueson over the table and under thefast revolving scraper, is thrown out onto-the discharge chute, thefiber stands clinging close tothe .skirt Ofthe table due to the beatingaction of the scraper and thence down between the I table skirtandthefrstrolling rubber coated drum.

'I'tmay now be particularly pointed out that the cleaningof the fiberdepends largely-on its treatment under the scraper for hfere'the fiber'must be carefully. protected yet the hurds are to be entirely removedaThe locating of'the scraper axis on a line projectedlat right anglesfromtherear or lower side of theltable proper is most importantv forits :af;

ford's the scraper bladesvthe bestjopportunity of thoroughlycleaningithe fiber of the dischargeable wood content, beats the fiberdown against the skirtand prevents; injury to the fiber at thispointnthus itbecomesob vious that the accurate setting of the scraper inrelationto the table is essential. Asthe fiberpasses between the rubbercoatedroller and the table skirt, being pressedagainst the said skirtand thus snugly retained between the roller and skirt,,the rate at;which the rolleris rotated,as in thecase of the scraper, is greater thanthe speed,of'travel oftheifiber so .thatthesame is highlypolishedhereand; passing, to the interworking slats or. heatersisfurther worked andshaken and polished, issuing onto the endlessconveyor belt in, a finely cleaned and polished condition.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings,

it will be manifestthata process of'cleaning vegetable fiberand the likeis provided that will fulfil all the necessary requirements of such adevicebut as manychanges could be,

made inthe above description and many apparently widely difierentembodiments of my invention constructed withinxthe scope of the,appended-claims without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, itisintended that-all matters contained in the said accompanyingspecification and drawings shall be interpreted as. illustrative andnot; in a limited sense, 7 v r V Having thus describedmy invention, whatI claim as new anddesire to secureby Letters Patent is 1: A process forcleaning vegetabl e'ifiber and the like comprising cutting and breakingthe stock; passing the pressed and broken fibers over atable; scrapingout the woody fragments from the fibers astheystart-across the table anddischarging said fibers onto a;

discharge table; and holding said fibers against said table afterseparation therefrom of the woody fragments; and shaking and cleaning ofsaid fibers as they are held against said table.

2. A process for cleaning vegetable fiber and the like comprisingcrushing and breaking vegetable fiber and passing the same over the faceof a table; scraping out the Woody fragments and discharging the sameonto a discharge table; pressing said fibers against the face of thetable past the point at which the woody fragments are scraped out fromamong the fibers; and shaking and cleaning said fibers at a furtherpoint while the fibers are still pressed against the table.

3. A process and apparatus for cleaning vegetable fiber and the likecomprising crushing and breaking means through which the plant stalksare passed from a feeding table and then over a second table afterpassing through the crushing and breaking means; a scraping meansworking against one face of the second table to separate from the fiberwoody fragments crushed and broken therefrom; the woody fragments beingdischarged onto a discharge table opposite said second mentioned table;the remaining fibers being pressed against the second mentioned table 7after separation therefrom of the fragments;

said fibers being polished as they are pressed against the secondmentioned table; and finally scraping and cleaning said fibers as theyleave said second mentioned table and while they are still pressedagainst said second mentioned table.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

GEORGE KNOWLES.

